CaptBeach
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2020
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- Age
- 66
New to the RAM forum, not new to RAMS and POWER WAGONS.
Capt Beach here...I am a former Marine, Cop and Charter Captain.
Drove my first Power Wagon in the US Marines. an M880...loved driving that beast...got out of the Marines and almost immediately bought a used 77 Power Wagon from a Dodge dealer, this is in 1980 and I paid $2500 for a 77 PW, 55000 miles on it...$2500...you could not tell what color it was it had never been washed since sold new. the bed had 3 feet of corn growing in one corner of it, the ash tray filled once and the rest on the passenger floor board...took me 2 weeks of cleaning to get it right...took it back to the dealer for a promised rear dif seal gasket repair and the salesman and manager came out, paid me $50 on the spot to leave...said they were afraid if the boss saw what they had sold for $2500 they would get fired...it was one pretty Black Metallic truck, didnt help I had put a set of American Racing Wheels and a set of 35's and a home made DIY lift kit on it...sold it to get married, $6000 3 years later.
Didnt get another until 2013 ...when I stumbled on an old Va Air National Guard Flight line truck with 18,000 miles on it. A 1977 W200 Crew Cab (6 Pak) 4x4. I was technically third owner, VANG, A Navy Chief and then me...he bought it at auction as a survivor. It had come from the factory with a straight 6 and 4 on the floor. When I got it it had a 360 and a 727. He also put a Stepside bed on it...pretty truck. But in 2017 my wife got dreadfully ill and I sold it to pay bills...still would like to find another.
Fast forward to yesterday...wife and I want to buy a toy hauler to head out and see the country while we are still healthy enough to do so...(she recovered, thought I was going to lose her for a while though...lots of prayer, thank you Lord) so we need a truck...had to trade my beloved Ranger, a 2002 SC V6, 3" lifted, 33"s with just over 100K to make the deal ;-(...but...
Sitting in my driveway is a 2019 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 5.7 Big Horn with Option Pkg 1. I found the least expensive one (MSRP $45360) out there in Billet Silver and stated the buying game on Monday, with an 18 year old trade I was out the door, tax, title, tags and fees under $35K...with 43 miles on it with a spray in bed liner to sweeten the deal.
So what now? My trailer is going to be 6-8K. I plan on running the factory Goodyears for a while but looking at a set of 35"s, a leveling kit(UCA?) maybe some fender flairs. A Cold Air Kit definitely. Doesnt the factory UConnect 8.4 have a NAV upgrade coming out soon? LED replacements all around. Dont know if I will pop for a new set of rims or have my 18"s bead blaster and powder coated black...I kind of like the way a smaller rim looks with a larger tire.
So there...its me no more lurking...
Pics below are Before and After LOL
Capt Beach here...I am a former Marine, Cop and Charter Captain.
Drove my first Power Wagon in the US Marines. an M880...loved driving that beast...got out of the Marines and almost immediately bought a used 77 Power Wagon from a Dodge dealer, this is in 1980 and I paid $2500 for a 77 PW, 55000 miles on it...$2500...you could not tell what color it was it had never been washed since sold new. the bed had 3 feet of corn growing in one corner of it, the ash tray filled once and the rest on the passenger floor board...took me 2 weeks of cleaning to get it right...took it back to the dealer for a promised rear dif seal gasket repair and the salesman and manager came out, paid me $50 on the spot to leave...said they were afraid if the boss saw what they had sold for $2500 they would get fired...it was one pretty Black Metallic truck, didnt help I had put a set of American Racing Wheels and a set of 35's and a home made DIY lift kit on it...sold it to get married, $6000 3 years later.
Didnt get another until 2013 ...when I stumbled on an old Va Air National Guard Flight line truck with 18,000 miles on it. A 1977 W200 Crew Cab (6 Pak) 4x4. I was technically third owner, VANG, A Navy Chief and then me...he bought it at auction as a survivor. It had come from the factory with a straight 6 and 4 on the floor. When I got it it had a 360 and a 727. He also put a Stepside bed on it...pretty truck. But in 2017 my wife got dreadfully ill and I sold it to pay bills...still would like to find another.
Fast forward to yesterday...wife and I want to buy a toy hauler to head out and see the country while we are still healthy enough to do so...(she recovered, thought I was going to lose her for a while though...lots of prayer, thank you Lord) so we need a truck...had to trade my beloved Ranger, a 2002 SC V6, 3" lifted, 33"s with just over 100K to make the deal ;-(...but...
Sitting in my driveway is a 2019 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 5.7 Big Horn with Option Pkg 1. I found the least expensive one (MSRP $45360) out there in Billet Silver and stated the buying game on Monday, with an 18 year old trade I was out the door, tax, title, tags and fees under $35K...with 43 miles on it with a spray in bed liner to sweeten the deal.
So what now? My trailer is going to be 6-8K. I plan on running the factory Goodyears for a while but looking at a set of 35"s, a leveling kit(UCA?) maybe some fender flairs. A Cold Air Kit definitely. Doesnt the factory UConnect 8.4 have a NAV upgrade coming out soon? LED replacements all around. Dont know if I will pop for a new set of rims or have my 18"s bead blaster and powder coated black...I kind of like the way a smaller rim looks with a larger tire.
So there...its me no more lurking...
Pics below are Before and After LOL
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Glad to read your wife has recovered!
